20 Exam Tips for Students

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger and upon his family and companions.
The Muslim student puts his trust in Allaah when facing the tests of this world, and he seeks His help whilst following the prescribed means, in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The strong believer is better and is more beloved to Allaah than the weak believer, although both are good. Strive to attain that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah, and do not feel helpless.” (Saheeh Muslim, hadeeth no. 2664)
Among those means are the following:
- Turning to Allaah by making du’aa’ in any way that is prescribed in Islam, such as saying, “Rabbiy ishrah li sadri wa yassir li amri (O my Lord, expand my chest and make things easy for me).”
- Getting used to sleeping early and going to exams on time.
- Preparing all required or permitted equipment such as pens, rulers and setsquares, calculators and watches, because being well prepared helps one to answer questions.
- Reciting the du’aa’ for leaving the house: “Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allaah, wa laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa Billaah. Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika an adilla aw udalla, aw azilla aw uzalla, aw azlima aw uzlama, aw ajhala aw yujhala ‘alayya (In the name of Allaah, I put my trust in Allaah, and there is no strength and no power except with Allaah. O Allaah, I seek refuge with You lest I should stray or be led astray, lest I slip (commit a sin unintentionally) or be tripped, lest I oppress or be oppressed, lest I behave foolishly or be treated foolishly).” Do not forget to seek your parents’ approval, for their du’aa’ for you will be answered.
- Mention the name of Allaah before you start, for mentioning the name of Allaah is prescribed when beginning any permissible action; this brings blessing, and seeking the help of Allaah is one of the means of strength.
- Fear Allaah with regard to your classmates, and do not be affected by their anxiety or fear just before the exam, for anxiety is a contagious disease. Instead, make them feel optimistic by saying good words as prescribed in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was optimistic when he heard the name of Suhayl (which means “easy”) and he said: “Things have been made easy for you.” He used to like to hear the words “ya Rasyid’ when he went out for any purpose. So be optimistic that you and your brothers will pass this exam.
- Remembering Allaah (dhikr) dispels anxiety and tension. If something is too difficult for you, then pray to Allaah to make it easy for you. Whenever Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) found something too difficult to understand, he would say, “O You Who taught Ibraaheem, teach me; O You Who caused Sulaymaan to understand, cause me to understand.”
- Choose a good place to sit during the exam, if you can. Keep your back straight, and sit on the chair in a healthy manner.
- Look over the exam first. Studies advise spending 10% of the exam time in reading the questions carefully, noting the important words and dividing one’s time between the questions.
- Plan to answer the easy questions first, then the difficult ones. Whilst reading the questions, write notes and ideas which you can use in your answers later.
- Answer questions according to importance.
- Start by answering the easy questions which you know. Then move on to the questions which carry high marks, and leave till the end the questions to which you do not know the answers, or which you think will take a long time to produce an answer or which do not carry such high marks.
- Take your time to answer, for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Deliberation is from Allaah and haste is from the Shaytaan.” (A hasan hadeeth. Saheeh al-Jaami, 3011).
- Think carefully about the answer and choose the right answer when answering multiple-choice questions. Deal with them in the following manner. If you are sure that you have chosen the right answer, then beware of waswasah (insinuating whispers from the Shaytaan). If you are not sure, then start by eliminating the wrong or unlikely answers, then choose the correct answer based on what you think is most likely to be correct. If you guessed at a correct answer then do not change it unless you are sure that it is wrong – especially if you will lose marks for a wrong answer. Research indicates that the correct answer is usually that which the student thinks of first.
- In written exams, collect your thoughts before you start to answer. Write an outline for your answer with some words which will indicate the ideas which you want to discuss. Then number the ideas in the sequence in which you want to present them.
- Write the main points of your answer at the beginning of the line, because this is what the examiner is looking for, and he may not see what he is looking for if it is in the middle of the page and he is in a hurry.
- Devote 10% of the time for reviewing your answers. Take your time in reviewing, especially in mathematical problems and writing numbers. Resist the desire to hand in the exam papers quickly, and do not let the fact that some people are leaving early bother you. They may be among the people who have handed in their papers too early.
- If you discover after the exam that you answered some questions incorrectly, then take that as a lesson in the importance of being well prepared in the future, and not rushing to answer questions. Accept the will and decree of Allaah and do not fall prey to frustration and despair. Remember the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “If anything befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such.’ Rather say, ‘Qadar Allaah wa maa sha’a kaan (the decree of Allaah and what He wills happened),’ for saying ‘if only’ opens the door for the Shaytaan.” (Saheeh Muslim, and the first part of this hadeeth was mentioned above).
- Note that cheating is haraam whether it is in foreign language tests or any other tests. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever cheats is not one of us.” It is wrongdoing and it is a haraam means of attaining a degree or certificate, etc., that you have no right to. The consensus is that cheating is a kind of cooperation in sin and transgression. So do without that which is haraam, and Allaah will suffice you from His bounty. Reject all offers of haraam things that come to you from others. Whoever gives up a thing for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will compensate him with something better. You have to denounce and resist evil, and tell the authorities about any such thing that you see during the exam, or before or after it. This is not the forbidden kind of slander rather it is denouncing evil which is obligatory.
Advise those who buy or sell questions or post them on the Internet etc., or who prepare cheat notes. Tell them to fear Allaah, and tell them of the ruling on what they are doing and on the money they earn from that. Tell them that the time they are spending in preparing these haraam things, if they spent it in studying, or answering previous exams, or helping one another to understand the subject before the exam, that would be better for them than doing these haraam things.
- Remember what you have prepared for the Hereafter, and the questions of the examination in the grave, and how to be saved on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted to Paradise will indeed have succeeded.
We ask Allaah to make us succeed in this world and cause us to be among those who are victorious and saved in the Hereafter, for He is the All-Hearing Who answers prayer.

From handicrafts to luxury goods

As a tourist destination, Yogyakarta is famous for many kinds of products, with visitors able to pick up a range of souvenirs from bakpia /sweet pie and gudek /young jackfruit cooked in coconut milk with spices, to batik and Dagadu T-shirts /T-shirts with a famous design.
it's strange, As a tourist city famous for its shopping, Yogyakarta doesn't have a reputation for producing exclusive bags and purses.
Rather, anyone hankering for an exclusive snakeskin bag, for example, must pay a small fortune for an overseas product.
Whereas we can do the job, Adrian points out. We have an abundance of raw material. Why don't we create our own image?
In the middle of 2004, started producing luxury bags and purses out of frog skin, gradually building a reputation for exclusive and high-quality products. It turned out we needed about six months for Cadusa to start to get known,. So I believe we could create a bag and purse trademark that represents luxury goods in Yogyakarta.
As well as using frog skin, Cadusa has developed accessories from skins of other animals, including lizards, snakes and monitor lizards. He's currently working on developing items made from goose skins.
We choose to use materials which aren't common because there are plenty of goods made from cow and goat leather,
As part of its image as an exclusive brand, Cadusa chooses not to accept orders for big quantities, producing only limited editions of all designs. Even customers from countries such as France, Italy and Japan cannot place bulk orders.
This is to build our image. In the near future I hope tourists will come to Yogyakarta if they want to buy a luxury bag or purse, and they will just come to Cadusa.
If customers want to own an exclusive bag or purse it's not necessary to go overseas to buy because in Yogyakarta there are exotic products, exclusive and of high quality.
Despite using animal skins, Cadusa is careful not to use materials from protected or endangered animals. It also makes frequent legal reports to the Conservation Department and the Water Resource Department in Yogyakarta.
We don't want to damage the environment for the sake of the economy, Even though the animals whose skins we use aren't protected, we limit production to avoid excessive exploitation-

Prevention & Treatment

What can I do to protect myself from getting sick?
There is no vaccine available right now to protect against this new H1N1 virus. There are everyday actions that can help prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory illnesses like influenza.

Take these everyday steps to protect your health:
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
Stay home if you are sick for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. This is to keep from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
Other important actions that you can take are:
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Be prepared in case you get sick and need to stay home for a week or so; a supply of over-the-counter medicines, alcohol-based hand rubs, tissues and other related items might could be useful and help avoid the need to make trips out in public while you are sick and contagious.
What is the best way to keep from spreading the virus through coughing or sneezing?
If you are sick, limit your contact with other people as much as possible. If you are sick, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Put your used tissue in the waste basket. Then, clean your hands, and do so every time you cough or sneeze.
What is the best technique for washing my hands to avoid getting the flu?
Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. Wash with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner. CDC recommends that when you wash your hands -- with soap and warm water -- that you wash for 15 to 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used. You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. If using gel, rub your hands until the gel is dry. The gel doesn't need water to work; the alcohol in it kills the germs on your hands.
What should I do if I get sick?
If you live in areas where people have been identified with new H1N1 flu and become ill with influenza-like symptoms, including fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, or vomiting or diarrhea, you should stay home and avoid contact with other people, except to seek medical care.
If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Are there medicines to treat infection with this new virus?
Yes. CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with the new H1N1 flu virus. Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines pills, liquid or an inhaler that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body. If you get sick, antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. During the current outbreak, the priority use for influenza antiviral drugs during is to treat severe influenza illness.
What is CDC’s recommendation regarding "swine flu parties"?
Swine flu parties are gatherings during which people have close contact with a person who has novel H1N1 flu in order to become infected with the virus. The intent of these parties is to become infected with what for many people has been a mild disease, in the hope of having natural immunity to the novel H1N1 flu virus that might circulate later and cause more severe disease.
CDC does not recommend "swine flu parties" as a way to protect against novel H1N1 flu in the future. While the disease seen in the current novel H1N1 flu outbreak has been mild for many people, it has been severe and even fatal for others. There is no way to predict with certainty what the outcome will be for an individual or, equally important, for others to whom the intentionally infected person may spread the virus.
CDC recommends that people with novel H1N1 flu avoid contact with others as much as possible. They should stay home from work or school for 7 days after the onset of illness or until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

H1N1

What is H1N1 /swine flu?
H1N1 / swine flu is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. This new virus was first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. Other countries, including Mexico and Canada, have reported people sick with this new virus. This virus is spreading from person-to-person, probably in much the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread.
Why is this new H1N1 virus sometimes called swine flu………?
This virus was originally referred to as /swine flu because laboratory testing showed that many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. But further study has shown that this new virus is very different from what normally circulates in North American pigs. It has two genes from flu viruses that normally circulate in pigs in Europe and Asia and avian genes and human genes. Scientists call this a quadruple reassortant virus.
Is this new H1N1 virus contagious?
CDC has determined that this new H1N1 virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human. However, at this time, it is not known how easily the virus spreads between people
What are the signs and symptoms of this virus in people?
The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu, severe illnesses and death has occurred as a result of illness associated with this virus.
How severe is illness associated with this new H1N1 virus?
It’s not known at this time how severe this virus will be in the general population. CDC is studying the medical histories of people who have been infected with this virus to determine whether some people may be at greater risk from infection, serious illness or hospitalization from the virus. In seasonal flu, there are certain people that are at higher risk of serious flu-related complications. This includes people 65 years and older, children younger than five years old, pregnant women, and people of any age with chronic medical conditions. It’s unknown at this time whether certain groups of people are at greater risk of serious flu-related complications from infection with this new virus. CDC also is conducting laboratory studies to see if certain people might have natural immunity to this virus, depending on their age.
How does this new H1N1 virus spread?
Spread of this H1N1 virus is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.
How long can an infected person spread this virus to others?
At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods. CDC is studying the virus and its capabilities to try to learn more and will provide more information as it becomes available.

Can I get infected with this new H1N1 virus from eating or preparing pork?
No. H1N1 viruses are not spread by food. You cannot get this new HIN1 virus from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
Is there a risk from drinking water?
Tap water that has been treated by conventional disinfection processes does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. Current drinking water treatment regulations provide a high degree of protection from viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the novel H1N1 flu virus to conventional drinking water treatment processes. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels typically used in drinking water treatment are adequate to inactivate highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 would also be similarly inactivated by chlorination. To date, there have been no documented human cases of influenza caused by exposure to influenza-contaminated drinking water.
Can the new H1N1 flu virus be spread through water in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational water venues?
Influenza viruses infect the human upper respiratory tract. There has never been a documented case of influenza virus infection associated with water exposure. Recreational water that has been treated at CDC recommended disinfectant levels does not likely pose a risk for transmission of influenza viruses. No research has been completed on the susceptibility of the H1N1 influenza virus to chlorine and other disinfectants used in swimming pools, spas, water parks, interactive fountains, and other treated recreational venues. However, recent studies have demonstrated that free chlorine levels recommended by CDC are adequate to disinfect avian influenza A /H5N1 virus. It is likely that other influenza viruses such as novel H1N1 virus would also be similarly disinfected by chlorine.
Can H1N1 influenza virus be spread at recreational water venues outside of the water?
Yes, recreational water venues are no different than any other group setting. The spread of this novel H1N1 flu is thought to be happening in the same way that seasonal flu spreads. Flu viruses are spread mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing of people with influenza. Sometimes people may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

Valid Votes 2009 Elections Down

The resume from kompas
The number of valid votes in the April 9, 2009 legislative elections has declined compared with that in the legislative polls in 2004. According to the final count of the General Elections Commission /KPU here on Saturday, the valid votes in the April 9, 2009 legislative elections totaled 104,099,785, with invalid votes accounting for 17,488,581.
The valid votes in the legislative elections on April 5 in 2004 totaled 113,462,414. According to Bambang, a member of the election supervisory board /Bawaslu on the sidelines of the KPU plenary meeting on the final count of the election results, the decline in the number of votes was due to inaccuracy of the voters’ lists /DPT.
There are a lot of duplicated DPTs and many eligible voters were not registered in the legislative elections, the Bawaslu member said. Wirdyaningsih, another Bawaslu member said that the decline in the number of votes was also caused by the change in the punching of the ballot system to ticking it.
She said that the change in the punching into the ticking system affected voters a lot. The KPU also lacked of popularizing the new elections system. I think the popularization on the valid votes by the KPU and political parties was not enough, she said.
The KPU announced on Saturday night that the Democratic Party came up as the winner of the April 9 2009 legislative elections grabbing 21,703,137 votes, or 20.85 percent. It said that the Golkar Party finished second with 15,037,757 votes or 14.45 percent, while the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle followed in the third place, winning 14,600,091 votes or 14.03 percent.
According to the KPU, the total number of valid votes counted was 104,099,785 while the number of invalid votes was 17,488,581. The number of eligible voters was 171 million.

Lassoing the cash cow

B. Herry-Priyono
With the buzz of the elections still in the air, there is a need to be less political about politics.
At least two signs are presenting themselves.
One is the bizarre symptom of mental disorders that have befallen several losing candidates in the wake of the legislative elections. On this account, there is nothing to say except that it's only common sense that politics is not meant for lunatics.
The other is no less crazy, but will have more far-reaching consequences for the future of political life in Indonesia. It is the widespread aspiration to be elected into public office based on the belief that it is a cash cow.
In the cash-cow business, the main concern is the highest pecuniary return. Of course, this is not to discount the presence of commitment to the public cause, an element that is assumed to be part and parcel of civilizing politics. It is indeed not improbable to find an occupation - political office included - in which the elements of pecuniary pursuit, self-expression and commitment to public causes are merging into a happy mixture.
Despite this possibility, however, we should not lose sight of the fact that politics is meant to be less of a job than a calling. The fact that it is a tall order does not disprove the point. Of course, to see it as a calling presumes that we expect political office to be a civilizing force. In this sense, political office refers to those rare skills by which its holder exercises their authority for the advancement of the common good. Otherwise, political office simply means self-indulgence that its holder may get from an exercise of sheer personal whim or from turning the office into a source of rents.
This is what seems to have been rampant on many levels of political office, and, it's why, instead of being the guardian of public representation, the House of Representatives has quickly become a chamber of rent-seekers. This is true not only for those assembling themselves in Senayan, but also for their lower counterparts at the provincial and district levels. Again, all this is not to forget that some are more committed than others in their dedication to public causes. But the persistent rent-seeking and corruption cases that have been perpetrated by legislative members at all levels over the past several years attest to a virulent symptom of what happens when the administration degenerates into a cash cow. The other two wings of political office - executive and judiciary - are not exempt.
But, isn't it the case that political office as a cash cow is the rule rather than an exception in most developing countries? It is indeed an unpleasant fact that in many developing countries political office is appealing for reasons of aggrandizement rather than that of commitment to public causes. What is it in political office that is so appealing? It is the lure of administrative-regulatory power. While the lure of power does not entirely explain the point, it is true that there is always pleasure in holding political power. The problem is that pleasure is a consequence rather than a cause. In the end, the heart of the matter lies in the potential of administrative-regulatory power to be easily converted into a source of rents and pecuniary rewards.
It is here that political office becomes a market and ceases to be a regulatory office. Or rather, the administrative-regulatory power vested in political office mutates into a commodity to be transacted with those whose interests require sanctions from the very administrative-regulatory office. It matters little whether the transactional initiatives come from the office holders or external parties. In economic terms, the power vested in political office is not only a supply in search of demand; it has itself become a demand in pursuit of supply. Either way, the end result is the same: How to corrupt public life by capturing the state's regulatory power.
Soon enough politics is besieged by the most intractable problem: The electoral process will install rent-seekers into political office, and rent-seeking politicians will treat the public office as a cash cow. Politics then rots, and rotten politics corrupts the electoral process further, which in turn breeds more rotten politics. Gone is the idea of politics as that noblest profession for advancing progressive alternatives to whatever is lacking in our shared life.
This endemic problem besetting Indonesia is not going to disappear soon. As is widely known, the first concern after these rent-seeking politicians are installed is to recover the costs they have spent on their election. After reaching some break-even point, they will start their next exploits for further pecuniary gain.
Does this mean that political office is better reserved for those whose concern is no longer confined to pecuniary survival? This tendency is indeed looming, and this is what makes politics so prone to plutocracy, or government by the wealthy. But once politics is turned into the prerogative of the wealthy, it degenerates into a cave-prison of self-perpetuating oligarchy. In this predicament, solution is a form of luxury, and the most intractable problem for reform comes from an unpalatable fact that political parties are comfortable with this practice precisely because it has been an ingrained habit.
It is amidst this impasse that I am reminded of two statesmen Indonesia has produced, i.e., Mohammad Hatta and Sutan Sjahrir, rather than Sukarno. From the start of the founding of this Republic, these two insisted that cadre formation is key to the future of political life. The reason is plain, in that politics is the affair for conviction politicians and not a business for demagogues and rent-seekers. Political parties will have beneficial and civilizing effects on Indonesian political life only if they dare to assume the task of educating their political cadres.
Thus political cadres may come from either poor or wealthy families, since wealth and poverty are not to prevent them from becoming principled politicians. Some will of course be corrupted, but many others will more likely understand what they are there for, and that hard work merits remuneration but remuneration is not the cause but a by-product of commitment to public causes.
Otherwise, as it is now, political office is little more than a rent-seeking exploit, if not a stage for snobbery and hoopla.